Hope!
Hope!
Many things are said about hope:
Hope reigns eternal.
Hope is the last to die.
At the end of last week's post it appeared that there would be no hope but there is always .... hope.
In the midst of the water and food shortage following the hurricanes in 2004 and the damages from the hurricane in 2005, there was hope.
Then the economic destruction of 2008/2009 was no surprise but just another blow to this small island.
By 2010, that glimmer of hope still held and even in 2014 the people are still hoping.
Some question in the midst of rising fuel costs, and persons being left in the dark because of lack of jobs and high power bills, what is there to be hopeful about?
Hmmm.....
We have arrived at that junction where just the thought of being alive is something to be grateful for... and yet....
Where to from here! Where to from here?
Its time to wake up the sleeping giants in the island.
The retired from ages past were put back to work but the young people coming out of school with fresh ideas are still left at home.
Its time for all of us to realize in this company town that the rules of the 1970-1990's do not apply any more.
The way business is done world wide can be adapted here and should be accepted rather than the great choke of the past.
During the recent superbowl there was an advertisement for RadioShack* which said, "the 80s called. Said they want their store back."
That's how I feel about this island. The past is calling and asking us to revamp our ways to be able to move forward.
The great industrial age is over! The great technological age is here and will be here for a while. So there is no need for every business to have a store front. Sorry building owners, we don't need to rent to add to costs of small businesses so that they will fail immediately.
There should never be the great disparity in costs of business licenses between the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Government. I understand the need for revenue for both but $1500 for a small business in Freeport but $100 to $150 is unbelievable.
There should be a way to deal with small businesses that are becoming big businesses all over the world except here.
When we see that such businesses as Microsoft and Apple began in garages, but are necessary even for me to have such a blog, says that there are other small business even in this island that just need incubators to grow first, then planted when necessary in a store front and possibly then all over the world.
We need to revamp the way we think, the way we act and the way we react.
There are many possibilities and they should not be left only in the hands of the dying at the helm of Government. The young people should be given a chance to give their input to make the changes they will have to live in and their children will have to improve on.
We need to start somewhere and we need to start today with all our policies. The people need to understand that they have the power to change things, and not just seats for the ever loving "political boys and girls."
The Government of The Bahamas still has a role to play in this company town. The leaders of the company have role to play as well and they need to understand that its time for all tactics to change and collectively we can make the profitable changes that need to be made.
The bottom line.... we are all in this for the bottom line. The law makers are in it only for the bottom line and if they would stop looking only at ways to spend it they may find ways to make it work for all. The company owners are in it for the bottom line and are missing the mark only by not getting more fresh air in with fresh ideas on what would make it all better.
When all else fails, why not ask the people you serve. Even the janitor has been around long enough to have an opinion on what would work and can be put to a test. There are no hard and fast rules on what will make money. But there are ways of finding out.
On the matter of hope, next week I will feature some small businesses in Grand Bahama that are looking up and have great hope.
If you have one that you want featured, let me know before next Tuesday. I can only tell about the ones I know that are making a difference.
And all those with ideas on how to bring the magic back, do send your ideas as well to be incorporated.
Write to info@bluenotesinc.com.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
In the meantime, realize we have come a long way, but we have a ways yet to go!
Many things are said about hope:
Hope reigns eternal.
Hope is the last to die.
At the end of last week's post it appeared that there would be no hope but there is always .... hope.
In the midst of the water and food shortage following the hurricanes in 2004 and the damages from the hurricane in 2005, there was hope.
Then the economic destruction of 2008/2009 was no surprise but just another blow to this small island.
By 2010, that glimmer of hope still held and even in 2014 the people are still hoping.
Some question in the midst of rising fuel costs, and persons being left in the dark because of lack of jobs and high power bills, what is there to be hopeful about?
Hmmm.....
We have arrived at that junction where just the thought of being alive is something to be grateful for... and yet....
Where to from here! Where to from here?
Its time to wake up the sleeping giants in the island.
The retired from ages past were put back to work but the young people coming out of school with fresh ideas are still left at home.
Its time for all of us to realize in this company town that the rules of the 1970-1990's do not apply any more.
The way business is done world wide can be adapted here and should be accepted rather than the great choke of the past.
During the recent superbowl there was an advertisement for RadioShack* which said, "the 80s called. Said they want their store back."
That's how I feel about this island. The past is calling and asking us to revamp our ways to be able to move forward.
The great industrial age is over! The great technological age is here and will be here for a while. So there is no need for every business to have a store front. Sorry building owners, we don't need to rent to add to costs of small businesses so that they will fail immediately.
There should never be the great disparity in costs of business licenses between the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Government. I understand the need for revenue for both but $1500 for a small business in Freeport but $100 to $150 is unbelievable.
There should be a way to deal with small businesses that are becoming big businesses all over the world except here.
When we see that such businesses as Microsoft and Apple began in garages, but are necessary even for me to have such a blog, says that there are other small business even in this island that just need incubators to grow first, then planted when necessary in a store front and possibly then all over the world.
We need to revamp the way we think, the way we act and the way we react.
There are many possibilities and they should not be left only in the hands of the dying at the helm of Government. The young people should be given a chance to give their input to make the changes they will have to live in and their children will have to improve on.
We need to start somewhere and we need to start today with all our policies. The people need to understand that they have the power to change things, and not just seats for the ever loving "political boys and girls."
The Government of The Bahamas still has a role to play in this company town. The leaders of the company have role to play as well and they need to understand that its time for all tactics to change and collectively we can make the profitable changes that need to be made.
The bottom line.... we are all in this for the bottom line. The law makers are in it only for the bottom line and if they would stop looking only at ways to spend it they may find ways to make it work for all. The company owners are in it for the bottom line and are missing the mark only by not getting more fresh air in with fresh ideas on what would make it all better.
When all else fails, why not ask the people you serve. Even the janitor has been around long enough to have an opinion on what would work and can be put to a test. There are no hard and fast rules on what will make money. But there are ways of finding out.
On the matter of hope, next week I will feature some small businesses in Grand Bahama that are looking up and have great hope.
If you have one that you want featured, let me know before next Tuesday. I can only tell about the ones I know that are making a difference.
And all those with ideas on how to bring the magic back, do send your ideas as well to be incorporated.
Write to info@bluenotesinc.com.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
In the meantime, realize we have come a long way, but we have a ways yet to go!
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